Press



March 6, 192a. 1,661,874

7 A. A. BYERLEIN PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 66 ea 60 v 60 March 6, 1928. 1,661,874

' A. A. BYERLEIN PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1924' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 6, 19.28. 1,661,874

A. A. BYERLEIN PRESS Fil ed Sept. 20. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 6, 1928. 1,661,874

A. A. BYERL EIN PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1924 4 sheets sneet 4 taken in connection with the Patented Mar. 6, 1 928.

ARTHUR A. BYEBLEIN, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN. I

PRESS. I

' Application filed September 20,1924. Serial in. 738,940.

The present invention relates to apparatus for working metal and more particularly to a press.

()ne of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a press having 1mprovcd means for counter-balancing and adjusting the punch or slide member thereof.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a press embodying the present invention;

Fi 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2% Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is'a fragmentary sectional view showing the adjustable parts of the connecting rod;

Fig. 4 is a section on-the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing the motor driven means fog "adjusting the length of the connecting ro s; i

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form 'of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Referring to the drawings, the press con sists ofa frame. or stationary art which comprises a bed portion 20, side rame mem hers 21 and an arch member 22- The side frame members 21 are provided at 23 with guides for the reception of a punch or slide member 24 which is adapted to slide up.- wardly and downwardly in the guides 23.

of suitable drivingmeans which, as herein shown, includes a drive shaft 25 rotatably mounted in the frame, cranks 26 formed on the drive shaft and connecting rods or mem bers 27 pivotally connected at 28 and 29 with the cranks 26 and the slide member 24 respectively. 1

As is usual with presses of the present type, the metal to be worked is placed between the bed 20 and the slide member 24, 'or ratherbetween dies carried by these parts. The upper face of the adapted to receive the lower die, and the lower face of the slide member 24 is so constructed that an upper die or punch may be secured thereto for movement with the ment of the shut height of The slide member 24 is actuated by means to the lower parts bed 20 is, therefore,

motor platform 42. The

slide member. It will be understood that the movement or stroke of the slide member 24 depends upon the throw of the crank 26. Fig. 1 illustrates the extreme forward or downward position of the slide member 24, that is, the nearest approach of the slide member to the bed at the bottom of the stroke. The distance between the slide member 24 and the bed 20 when in this position may for convenience be termed the shut height and may be indicated by the reference character 30. It is frequently found desirable to change or adjust the shut height of a press owing to variations in different sets of dies made necessary by varying kinds of work, different thickness of metal employed, or for other reasons, and means is therefore provided in the present apparatus for quickly and easily effecting an adjustthe press. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 it will be observed that each connecting rod 27 consists of an upper part 31 and alower part 32, the upper part 31 being provided with a screw-threaded socket 33 which is adapted to receive the turnable screwthreadod bolt or connection screwv 34 of the lower part 32. As shown in Fig. 3, the bolt v34 is provided with a head or flange portion 35 which'is adapted to be received in the socket 36. A flanged sleeve or bushing 37 is secured to the lower part 32 of the connecting" rod with tending into the socket 36 and engaging the flange or head 35 of the bolt in such a manner as to permit rotation of the screws 34 but to prevent any axial movement of the bolt34 with reference to the part 32 of the connecting rod. To effect simultaneous adjustment of the two connecting rods 27, each of the screw-threaded screws 34 is provided with a beveled gear 38 keyed thereon, which gears may be driven from a common drive shaft 39 having a beveled with the bevel gears 38. The drive shaft 39 may be actuated or driven by suitable motor driven mechanism which is preferably carried by the connecting rods 27 and movable in unison therewith. Brackets 41 secured .32 of the connecting rods 27 provide bearings for the driving shaft 39 and also constitute a support for the platform is supported from the brackets 41 upon connectin shafts or bars 44 the opposite ends of whic its sleeve portion expinion 40 at each end thereof for engagment are mount-ed Within the brackets 41. As best shown in Figsand 6 the'platform 41 carries an electric motor 46 and suitable gears for effecting driving connection between the motor .andthe shaft 39. While the driving connection may be of any suitable form it is hereinshown as consistin of a gear train including gear 47 mounte on the motor shaft, gears 48, 49-, 50, 51 and 52 suitably mounted upon the platform 42, and 53 mounted on the shaft 39. This gear train may be housed in a suitable housing (not shown) also carried upon the motor platform 42. This construction is such that great flexibility is secured since the parts for adjusting the connecting rods may be made standard except for the shafts. And by using shafts of varying lengths the standard to presses of varying sizes, in which the connecting members are spaced different distances apart. Also this construction per 39 the. bore or .socket in the part 31 and is threadedsimilarly to said bore. This clamp is adapted to-slide in a transverse passage 7 or opening formed in the wall of part 31 and opening into the threadedbore or socket thereof intermediate the ends of said socket. The plug -54 may by means of suitable clamping bolts 56 be forced againstthe connection screw 34 to lock the same against movement or rotation in its socket. In adjusting the length of the connecting rods the clamp 54 is first loosened. "afterwhich the electric motor 46 may be operated to rotatethe connection screws 34 in their respective screw.-

threaded sockets 33 thereby simultaneously increasing or decreasing the length of the two connecting rods.' After the connecting rods have been adjusted to the desired lengths the'clamp's 54 are drawn against the stems 34, the threads on 'the' clamps registering with the threads on the stems to lock-the same against rotation.

The threads upon the inner endof the i clam preferably correspond to the threads int e socket 33. To secure such correspondence the threads on the clamp are formed at the same time as the thread is machined in the socket 33.- To accomplish this the clamp is positioned within the passage 55 with a liner or collar in place between the flanged head of the clamp and the bodyof the member 31 which is-of such thickness as to cause the inner curved end of the clamp to correspond with, and be in effeet a continuation of, the wall of the socket 33. The part 31 and the clamp 54 are then adjusting mechanism parts may be applied.

connecting r just machined together. The liner is then removed. This method of construction insures practically exact correspondence of the thread in the socket 33 and on the clamp 54. And the clamp is of such length that its flanged head is spaced from the part 31 a short distance so that drawing up on the bolts 56 will cause clamping of the threaded connection screw 34 relative to the part 31.

A counter-balancing means is provided for the slide member 24, such colmter-balancing means including a spring or other yielding means which is adapted to be placed under increased compression on the downward movement of the slide member and which thus assists the upward movement of the slide member. The counter-balancing mechanism consists of two brackets 60 mounted on the arch member 22 of the frame, each bracket pivotally supporting at 61 a bell crank lever having a forwardly extending arm 62 and a downwardly extending arm 63. The forwardly extending lever arms 62 are pivotally connected by means of links 70 with the connecting rods 27, each connectmg rod being provided tor thls purpose with a lug carried by the upper part 31 thereof. The brackets 60 are provided with upwardly extending flanges 65 which form abutments for the cooperating coiled springs 66. Pivotally connected with .the levcr arms 63 and extending forwardly therefrom through apertures 67 are rods 68 which carry at their forward ends adjustable heads orwashers'69 which are adaptedto engage the forward ends of the compression springs 66. The compression. springs '66 are thus confined between the flanges 65 and the heads 69 of the rods 68, and the linka e is such that when the slide member 24 an the connecting rods 27 move downwardly or forwardly the springs 66 are increasingly compressed. Upon the up or rearward movement of the slide member 24, the springs 66 of course tend to expand and to assist thedriving means in raising the slide member 24. It should be noted that the links 70 of the counter-balancing mechanism are thus connected so that the setting of the counter-balancing mechanism is entirely independent of adjustment changes in the connecting rod to effect variations in the shut height. An advantage of this arrangement is that the shut height of the press may be regulated quickly and easily as-desired without in any way modifying the action of the counter-balancing means or requiring adjustment of the latter.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified form of counterbalancing means in which the entire mechanism is positioned beneath the arch. .This form of the invention functions as does the form described above; but in this form the springs 80 are supported upon a'bracket 81 secured on the rear of the arch til) member 22. Pivoted to the bracket 81 at connecting rod 27 by means of link 84. Pivotally connected with the lever 83 and extending upwardly through apertures 85 in bracket 81, are a pair of compression rods 86 having adjustable heads or washers 87 at their upper ends to engage the up er ends of compression springs 80. It will be perceived that the compression s rings 80 are compressed on the downward movement of the connecting rods 27 and that upon the upward movement of the connecting rods 27 the springs 80 expand and tend to assist the drive shaft in'raising the connecting rods and slide member carried thereby.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments fectin of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention islnot limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made in either without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described adapted for working metal, a frame having therein a bed and a reciprocable slide arranged to receive therebetween the metal to be worked, driving means for sliding said slide downwardly towards the bed and for returning it upwardly, yielding means operatively connected to the slide and adapted to be placed under tension during the downstroke of the slide and to assist the upward movement thereof, and means for adjusting the nearest approach of the slide to the bed at the bottom of the down stroke, said lastmentioned means having provisions for efthe a ustment or operation of saidyielding IIIQBJIIS,

2. In an apparatus of the character de-,

scribed adapted for working metal, a frame having 'a slide member mounted for reciprocation forwardly and backwardly therein, a driving member mounted in said frame for moving the slide forwardly and backwa rdly,

means for adjusting the extreme forward movement of the slide member with respect to the frame, said means including aplurality of pairs of cooperating screw-threaded parts and a common means for operating said parts simultaneously, and means'adapted to be placed under tension during movement of the slide member in one direction and to assist movement of the slide member in the opposite direction, said last-mentioned means being connected to one of said mem bers rearwardly of said adjusting means.

3. In an apparatus of the character deor forward said adjustment without affecting such manner as to be unaffected by adjustment of said adjusting means.

4. In an apparatus of the character described adapted for working metal, a frame having a reciprocable slide member mounted therein, means for driving the slide member forwardly and rearwardly, said driving means including a drive shaft carried by the frame, and connecting means pivotally connected with the drive shaft and the slide member, adjusting means carried by the connecting means for adjusting the length of the same, and counter-balancing means secured to the connecting means rearwardly of said adjusting means, whereby to be unaffected by adjustment of said adjusting means.

5. In an apparatus of the character described adapted for working metal, a frame having a slide member mounted for recipcation forwardly and rearwardly therein, means for driving the slide member for wardl and backwardly, said driving means iIlClllL ing a drive shaft carried by the frame, and a plurality of connecting rods connected between the drive shaft and the slide member, means carried by said rods for adjusting the length of "the connecting rods, and counter-balancing means secured to the connecting rods rearwardly of said adjusting means, whereby to be -unaifectedby adjust- I ment of said adjusting means.

' wardly and rearwardly, said driving means includin a drive shaft carried by the frame,

and a plilrality of connecting members connected between the drive shaft and the slide member, means carried by said connecting members for adjusting the length of the connectlng members, and counter-balancing .means secured to the connecting members rearwardly of said adjusting means.

7. In an apparatus of the character described for working metal, a frame having a slide member mounted therein, a drive shaft carriedby the frame, a connecting rod connected between the drive shaft and the in said socket member at a point removed mm v the end of said socket member and adapted to be forced into locking engagement with said screw member.

-which is provided with a frame, a slide mem- 8. In apparatus of the character described,

her mounted therein, and a driving means;

' a connecting rod for connecting the driving 'means to the slide, comprising a member having a socket therein, anda transverse passage extending through the said member and terminating within the socket therein intermediate its ends. a stem movably mounted in the socket, and a separate clamp block slidingly guided within the said transverse passage for locking the stem within the socket, the construction'meing such that the necting members including cooperating telescoping parts adapted to be operated to increase or decrease the length of the connecting members, and operating means movable in unison With said connecting members for operating said parts, said operating means including an electric motor and a driving connection between the motor and said parts of each of said connecting members.

10. In an apparatus of the character described'adapted for working metal, a frame having a reciprocable slide member mounted therein, a crank shaft carried'by the frame, a pair of connecting rods connected directly between the crank shaft and the slide member tofhave an angular movement at one end and a reciprocatory movement at the other end, and motor means for simultaneou'slyadjusting the length of the connecting rods, said means being supported entirely by Islaid connecting rods and movable therewit 11. In an apparatus of the character described adapted for workingmetal, a frame having a slide member mounted therein, a drive shaft carried .by the frame, a pair of connecting members connected between the drive shaft and the slide member, and means vfor simultaneously adjusting the length of the connecting members, said means including movable adjusting parts carried by said connecting members,a supporting platform carried by the connecting members, a motor carried'by said platform,'and a driving connection between the motor and said movable adjusting parts. I 1,12.- In 'an' apparatus of the character de- -ib d ada tgd for working metal, a frame havinga reciprocable slide member mounted ther'eimja drive shaft carried by the frame,

a pair of connecting members connected between the drive shaft and the slide member, and means for simultaneously adjusting the length of the connecting members, said means including movable adjusting parts carried by said connecting members, and a transverse driving shaft geared to both of said movable adjusting parts for actuating the latter, an electric motor supported by said connecting members, and a driving connection between said motor and said transverse driving shaft.

13. In apparatus of .the character described, a frame, a slide mounted thereon, a drive shaft carried by the franv, a pair of connecting members connected between the drive shaft and the slide member, brackets on the connecting members, supporting shafts mounted therein, a platform detachably mounted on the shafts, means carried by the brackets for varying the length of the connecting members, and a motor carried by the platform and in driving connection with the length varying means, the construction being such' that the brackets and supported parts may be mounted upon or regioved as a unit from, the connecting memers. I

14. In apparatus of the character described, a frame, a slide mounted thereon, a drive shaft carried by the frame, a pair of connecting members connected between the drive shaft and the slide member, detachable brackets mounted on the ctmnecting members, supporting shafts removably mounted in said brackets, a platform detachably mounted on said supporting shafts, a motor on said platform, an adjusting shaft mounted in the brackets and operatively connected to the connecting members to eil'ect adjustment thereof, and a gear train carried by the supporting members and effecting drivin connection between the motor and the ad usting shaft, the construction being such that shafts of different lengths may be used to fit varying spacing of the connecting members.

15. In a press of the class described adapted for working metal, a frame having a reciprocable slide mounted therein, a rotatable crank-shaft in said frame, an adjustable length connecting rod pivotally connected at one'end to the slide and at its other end to the crank-shaft, adjusting means provided on said connecting rod for adjust- 1ng the length of the same, and a counterbalancing spring adapted to store up energy during movement of the slide in one direction to assist movement of the slide in the other direction, connected to the connecting rod at one side of the adjusting means remote from the slide so as to be unaffected 'by ad'ustment of the said adjusting means.

16. 11 an apparatus of the character described,. a frame, a slide mounted therein for reciprocatory movement, a crank-shaft carried by said frame, a pair of connecting rods directly connected between the crankshaft and the slide, said connecting rods being adjustable as to length to effect varying of the path'of travel of said slide, a support detachably connected to both said connecting rods, and, motor means comprising a motor and a gear train, detachably' carried by said support for adjusting the length of said connecting rods, 'saidmotor means and said support being movable in unisonwith the angular movements of the connecting rods so that adjustment of the length of the connecting rods is maintained constant during their angular movements,

17. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a reciprocal slide mounted therein, a crank-shaft carried by said frame, a pair of connecting rods directly connected between the crank-shaft and the slide to move angularly at the crank-shaft ends thereof and reciprocate at the slide ends thereof, said connecting rods being adjustable as to length to effect varying of the path of travel of said slide during operation, a gear mounted upon each connecting rod, driving gears thereforalso mounted upon said connecting rods, and motor driven mechanism mounted on said connecting rods in' constant driving relationship with said driving gears for effecting length adjustment of said connecting rods.

18. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a slide mounted therein for reciprocatory movement, a crank-shaft carried by the frame, a connecting rod connected to the crank-shaft and the slide, and comprising two threadedly connected telescopic sections, a driven gear mounted upon one section of said connecting rod, motor means for effecting length adjustment of said connecting rod carried by said one sec-- tion to move in unison with its angular movements, and comprising a motor and a drive gear in .subsantially constant meshing relationship with said driven gear.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

ARTHUR A. BYERLEIN. 

